Handbook of Stress : Causes, Effects & Control

Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a human or animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats to the organism, whether actual or imagined. It is "the autonomic response to environmental stimulus". It includes a state of alarm and adrenaline production, short-term resistance as a coping mechanism, and exhaustion. Common stress symptoms include irritability, muscular tension, inability to concentrate and a variety of physical reactions, such as headaches and elevated heart rate. The combination of not having learned adaptive coping strategies and being exposed to challenging situations can render people vulnerable to experiencing stress and developing mental health problems. Some people may turn to problematic coping strategies such as dissociation, substance abuse, and problematic eating. This new book gathers the latest research from around the globe on the subject of stress and related topics such as eating disorders, stress in athletes, stress from a developmental and vocational perspective, reflective activity, stress in adolescence, care-giving stress, the stress of poverty, emotional and behavioural problems after exposure to ongoing terrorism and aerobic exercise as a relief to stress and others.